THE National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) has issued a suspension order for 30 days against broadcast operator Swara Sug Media Corporation, also known as Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
The suspension order, which was dated December 19, was served yesterday and is effective upon receipt.
NTC deputy commissioner Jon Paulo Salvahan said a show cause order was also served on SMNI ordering it to explain in writing within 15 days from receipt of the order why it should not be administratively sanctioned for alleged violation of the condition of its authorities granted under its legislative franchise.
Salvahan said the NTC has set a hearing on January 4, 2024 to discuss the issues thrown against SMNI.
The suspension order was issued in response to Resolution No. 189 adopted by the House of Representatives on December 11 urging the NTC to suspend SMNI for supposed violation of its legislative franchise and unethical practices.
In suspending Swara Sug’s radio and television operations, the NTC cited Section 16 of the Public Service Act, as amended, and said that it took cognizance of the House’s declaration that SMNI violated at least three specific provisions of its legislative franchise, Republic Act No. 11422.
It also said that it gave “due deference” to the House’s authority over all matters directly and principally relating to the grant, amendment, extension, or revocation of franchises.
The NTC was one of the invited agencies which participated as a resource person/agency in three committee hearings conducted by the House Committee on Legislative Franchises on the claims of SMNI host Jeffrey Celiz, on his “Laban Kasama ng Bayan” program, that a “source” in Congress supposedly told him that Speaker Martin Romualdez spent P1.8 billion for travel in just a year, a claim that was disproved by House Secretary General Reginald Velasco.
Celiz, along with co-host Lorraine Badoy-Partosa, was cited in contempt and ordered detained by the House committee for his initial refusal to name his source and for his evasive answers to the lawmakers’ questions.
The two were subsequently released by the House after the two sought relief from the Supreme Court and questioned their detention.
A bill has been filed at the House seeking the revocation of SMNI’s legislative franchise for its alleged various violations and unethical practices, particularly the dissemination of fake news and red-tagging.
SMNI also supposedly made changes in its corporate structure that was not authorized by Congress, in violation of the franchise law.
The bill also alleged that SMNI violated Section 11 of its franchise which provides that, “in accordance with the constitutional provision to encourage public participation in public utilities, the grantee shall offer to Filipino citizens at least thirty percent (30 percent) of its outstanding stock, or a higher percentage thereof that may hereafter be provided by law, in any securities exchange in the Philippines: Provided, that in cases where public offer of shares is not applicable, the grantee shall apply other methods of encouraging public participation by citizens and corporations operating public utilities as allowed by law.”
Section 11 of the franchise law states: “Non-compliance therewith shall render the franchise ipso facto revoked.”
Reacting to the NTC’s suspension order, Rep. France Castro (PL, ACT) said that the NTC appears to be making up to the public for the past numerous violations of the network.
“As it stands now the SMNI issue is shaping out not to be a press freedom issue as its hosts and ‘talents’ want to project,” Castro, a member of the Makabayan bloc, said. — With Wendell Vigilia
With the recent committee hearings, Castro said it would seem that “SMNI itself is a threat to press freedom with its advocacy of violence, disinformation or fake news and intolerance or hate speech.
“Hindi ito tulad sa kaso ng ABS-CBN na sinadyang pinasara ng mga Duterte dahil sa pagbatikos sa kanila (This isn’t like the case of ABS-CBN which was closed down by the Dutertes for criticizing them),” Castro said. “We hope that the measures for accountability of SMNI, its hosts, executives and owners including Pastor (Apollo) Quiboloy himself will continue because they have abused the network as an anti-people tool and mouthpiece of the Dutertes and tne NTF-ELCAC.”
